Handcuffed
by Windfield
Summary: An accident occurred when Sonic and Shadow fought, an accident that had gotten Tails to come up with an idea. It was a game that he had played when he was young and he started to persuade the others to try it out. Just what was it?


**A/N: Not too long ago, this fiction was deleted due, according to the administrator, to its poor language. I was little angry to find that out. To think that I was told that my grammar skill was bad. I mean, hello. I have scored As in my English essays! It couldn't have been that bad…**

**But eventually, I got over it and have decided to start the fiction all over again. Most of the mistakes that were found previously in the fiction have been corrected. And I had seized the chance to add in some extra features to spice things up a little.**

**I had never given the fiction a proper introduction. Thus, I have decided to add in one. My writing style may change in this version of 'Handcuffed'. But the main plot will remain the same.**

**However, if this fiction ever gets deleted again and I do not approve the main reason why it is removed, I will never again resubmit this. Instead, I will find some other place to host this.**

Disclaimer: The settings, the characters, everything. They belong to none other than SEGA and Sonic Team. This fiction is only written for pure enjoyment.

**HANDCUFFED**

_BY Windfield_

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_**CHAPTER 1**

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It was an early morning in the beautiful city of Station Square. The sky was an orangey hue, with dark clouds covering the whole area high up in the sky. The air was crisp, the cold fog of the morning was lifted and the city's duellers were already up and about, getting ready for the coming day.

The traffic was particularly light that morning. Only a few cars and a couple of buses were on the road. A small streak of blue light ran past them, weaving in and out of the vehicles. Much to his ignorance, there were the other road-users who were not happy with the creature's attitude and were horning and complaining at the hedgehog.

He had just came back from a long journey, a trip that had taken him up to six months, away from his friends and allies. It felt so good to be back. It was good to see familiar things that he hadn't seen for months and it made him felt like he was at home.

The small, blue hedgehog came to a halt the moment when he reached a particular street, creating dust as he decelerated, with his feet rubbing against the cold cement floor of the sidewalk. He looked at a small, white building that was in front of him, at where he had stopped. The back of his lips curved upward a little as he glanced at the scene that was being played in front of the hedgehog. Not many things had changed since he left Station Square, which, to him, was indeed welcoming. Chairs that were made out of wood as well as tables were arranged neatly outside of the white building, with flowers being placed on beautifully made vases on each of the tables. He could smell the wonders of prepared meals in that particular building and had himself seated on one of the many available chairs and placed his bag beside him, on the floor, leaning against on one of the table's feet.

Though it was still an early hour, there were already people who were out taking breakfast before going off to work and most were enjoying fresh crusts of breads, with hot drinks like coffees and teas to warm themselves from the cold, chilly morning. Office workers were sitting down on some of the wooden chairs, in front of the little building, enjoying their meals while busying themselves reading the local headlines, while others were taking their time looking at the wondrous of the beautiful city.

The hedgehog knew this place well. It was a small cafeteria, built at the very end of the city, situated not far from the city's beach. It was a single-storey building and it had two doors that were built. The front door, which it was the biggest of the two, was built in front of the city's street, whereas, the back door was built facing the white beach.

The owner of the cafeteria was a jolly, young cat, small, thin but nonetheless, she was an optimistic female cat. Her attire was the everyday, blue uniform, with a white shawl being wrapped around her small feline neck. She was a perfectionist. Every thing in her small, humble cafeteria must be in place. Her long, neatly combed, bushy tail swayed as the cat walked, with her hand holding onto a small notepad and a bowl of mixed salad at the other. Her pen was placed behind her ear. She was the typical, plain ordinary waitress.

Inside, the amethyst cat smiled the moment when she saw the blue hedgehog. Ah, he was one of her many regular customers. It had been a long time since she last saw him. And she could be sure; they had a lot to catch up on.

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Station Square Central City. A place where it was famous for its huge parks and beautiful gardens. White dandelions were grown healthily in painted pots. Birds like robins and pigeons perched on the little fountain as the water squirted at all directions. A small mad-made lake reflected the sun's rays and into the eyes of the people who happened to be there, sitting down on some of the wooden benches, admiring the beautiful scenery. Green grass grew on the ground and huge, majestic, tall trees that resembled like the ones in the Mystic Ruins were planted beside the alleyways. Ferns and fungus. Daisies and bougainvilleas. Mushrooms, toadstools and puffballs. All these could actually be found growing all over the place. Of course, all of these beauties would have to be taken care of. No man could do a much better job than a mid-aged gardener, who was seen doing one of his daily routines. It was almost eight in the morning; the time when he would water the plants and let them lived.

However, all of this loveliness was not at all seen by a white, female bat as she was too busy pulling a very stubborn hedgehog along, who was struggling to get free from her painful grip. Somehow, she had grown tired of it and said rather crossly, "Mind if you stop tugging already? We have no time for this and it is getting pretty late. We should have been there not too long ago!"

"But, Rouge!" the hedgehog responded with a tone that sounded like he was in pain. He wasn't at all that pleased with the way the bat had been treating him. "I told you. I am not interested in that stupid party. Can't you just leave me alone already?"

Rouge stopped and frowned. She turned her back to look at her black companion.

"Shadow, we have been invited. We can't just back out now. What will the others think then?"

The black hedgehog fumed. He noticed that her grip on his hand had loosened and he immediately seized the chance to get himself free by pulling his hand off from hers.

"I don't care what the others think," said the hedgehog as he gazed at his aching hand, which it was starting to feel numb. "I would rather go home…" He then turned his head to look at Rouge and raised his voice by an inch. "…so that I could get my hand fixed!"

He rubbed his hand, thinking that the method would help to ease the pain. Rouge had indeed grabbed onto his hand rather tightly and it was like her squeezing the life out of his hand. Never in the hedgehog's life had he thought that her hands could be this strong. He had always thought that she was a woman who was only strong in mental and not in physical. Guess that she had proven it to him that not all women were weak.

Rouge was tempted to roll her eyes. However, she stopped herself from doing it and heaved a heavy sigh out instead.

"Listen, Shadow. I don't care how you feel or what you are going to do with the whole situation. But I definitely am not taking the risk of not taking you to the reunion gathering. No matter what, you're going. And the decision is final!"

The hedgehog's face hardened with the way Rouge had said to him, feeling like he was offended, and spat back, "You can't actually make me, Rouge. I'm not a kid! I don't listen to anybody, let alone a nagging bat!"

Rouge snapped out a glare at him, disliking the way Shadow had called her.

"Don't you dare test my patience, Shadow," Rouge said through clenched teeth. Shadow could sometimes annoy the bat to no end, especially whenever she tried to convince Shadow to attend parties such as this. He wasn't exactly the outgoing type, which, to her, was indeed a weak sign of the hedgehog's personality. So, time and time again, she had been trying to get the hedgehog out of the house and be more involved with the public.

Tails, a friend of the two furries had invited them to a reunion gathering, an event that was, to him, indeed special, organized by the young kitsune himself and a certain pink hedgehog that went by the name, Amy Rose, a bubbly hedgehog, who, much to Rouge's annoyance, had been talking non-stop about Sonic and how she was so eager to see her blue hero once again. It had almost been half the year since any of them saw the blue hedgehog. Much to the kitsune's delight, it was only a few days ago that Tails was given the message that Sonic was indeed coming back to Station Square. It would only be a temporary stay though. Sonic was intending to, again, leave Station Square after a few nights stay in the kitsune's workshop.

Tails could only look down onto the floor with a feeling of utter disappointment. Since two years ago, the young fox had made a decision. Instead of traveling around with his blue friend, Sonic, like when he used to in the good, old days, Tails had decided to be independent and lived his own life. Thus, the young kitsune rented a home whereas Sonic was still out there, traveling. It was only a year ago that Sonic last visited him and had stayed in Station Square for about six months. However, the time soon came when the hedgehog left, in pursuit to find his long time nemesis, Dr. Ivo Robotnik.

He had thought that the hedgehog was indeed coming back for good. But it turned out to be more of like a visit. No matter though, it was great to get to see Sonic again even if it was only for a short while.

To make Sonic's visit special, Tails had taken the step to organize a welcoming party with the help of a few friends and had almost everyone that he knew invited.

Rouge had seized the chance to get Shadow out, thinking that, by forcing him to go to social gathering, it would help to solve his social problem. However, Shadow hadn't liked the female bat's idea at all, not even a single bit.

"So what if I'm invited," screamed an angry hedgehog as he glared at Rouge. "I know that Furball. And Furball knows me. But when it comes to reality, the two of us are no better than being strangers. Don't you find it odd for me to attend a party that is organized by someone who I do not know very well?"

Excuses… That was all Shadow was giving. "No, Shadow," Rouge said. "I don't find it odd at all."

The black hedgehog scowled, disliking the respond that was given by the bat herself. "Fine then!" Shadow yelled. "Think what you want, Rouge. I don't care. But I, without a doubt, am not going. Can't you just go there by yourself? You should know very well that I hate parties such as this. What is the point of me going there? All I'm going to see is that annoying blue hedgehog, who I basically despise. I'm telling you. It is just not worth it!"

With every word that was said, the black hedgehog's voice was raised, a sign that his anger was brewing. He was angry at Rouge, for forcing him to go to the social gathering. But mostly, he was angry at Sonic, for just about everything regarding the blue speedster. Just why, oh why did he have to come back? To Shadow, the blue hedgehog's sudden return was indeed not welcoming.

Unlike Tails, who had pictured Sonic as an idol, a person one could always look up upon, Shadow had always pictured Sonic as a real troublemaker. The peaceful town of Station Square would definitely be turned upside down once the blue hedgehog returned.

She sighed the moment when she heard the black hedgehog, who was already starting to tire her.

"Shadow," Rouge said. "I personally think that you should try and get out a little more often. It isn't going to be that bad. Well, at least, not as bad as you think it will be. Can't you just give it a try?"

Though he was persuaded, the respond was nothing but a mere humph coming from the black hedgehog, which it frustrated Rouge to no end. Rouge fumed, disliking the way Shadow had reacted. It was no wonder that many hadn't bothered to have a nice, decent talk with the black hedgehog. His kind of attitude would shun just about anybody off.

"You know," she commented. "At times, I cannot understand you at all. Just why do you have to act so edgy?"

Shadow snapped a glare at her, crossed his arms and then, looked away.

"And exactly why do you want to know?" he snapped back. "I'm just being me; a grumpy, 50-year-old hedgehog, who basically doesn't give a single care for the world."

That was it. Rouge's patience was thinning and she could no longer be patient. That was the last straw for her and she immediately yelled out, "Forget it then. Forget what I said earlier, Shadow, and forget about me trying to persuade you to go to the kitsune's party. You're hopeless, you know that? I don't even know why I had bothered to put up with you all through the months. No one will have the chance to help you or even bother to talk to you if you're going to continue and act like a moody brat. If you're not going to the social gathering, fine then. I have rest my case and I can assure you. I will no longer continue to pester you to go there. The decision is yours to make. And so is your life!"

With a final word, the white bat turned and huffed away with anger, wanting to get her sight off of him as soon as she could.

Shadow turned his head to look at Rouge as she continued to disappear herself among the thick crowd, keeping his facial expression neutral without uttering a single word. His mind felt troubled though, recalling the bat's words that had somewhat bothered him. He had gotten his wish, right? But then, why was he feeling so… disturbed?

The black hedgehog shook his head. Bah, it was nothing. He had little to fret about and this wasn't exactly a big deal that he should worry. Rouge would eventually calm down. It was only the matter of time. With a final nod, the black hedgehog activated his hover shoes and without a second thought, hovered away.


End file.
